Technical Field
The present invention relates to gaseous fluid compression devices, and deals in particular with regenerative thermal compressors.
Description of the Related Art
Several technical solutions already exist for compressing a gas using a heat source.
In thermal compressors such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,157,229 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,413,815, the heat received is directly transmitted to the fluid to be compressed, thereby eliminating any mechanical element for the steps of compression and discharge.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,157,229 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,413,815, a displacing piston (‘displacer’) is movably mounted inside a chamber so as to alternately displace the fluid toward the heat source or toward the cold source. The displacing piston is connected to a control rod. The displacing piston and/or the associated control rod are subject to friction and wear, which limits the service life of such compressors or which requires regular maintenance. In addition, the efficiency of the heat exchange within the compressor as well as the principle of controlling the displacing piston can be further improved.